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North team wins at Escondido

The North Team did all it needed to do to retain the cup in the 12thannual Jackie Burke Cup at Escondido Golf and Lake Club on Sunday. Winning six of the 12 singles matches to tie the South, 24-24.

The North Team faced a 14-10 deficit heading into Sunday’s action, which features 12 singles matches. Each match was worth two points and since the North Team won the cup in 2015, they needed just 14 more points to retain.

Tommy Boone and Andy Lopez got the North Team on the board early, each earning a point in their matches. Boone halved his match with Jack Anderson after making a birdie on the par-5 18th hole. Lopez halved his match with Trey Bosco winning three of the last four holes, including a hole-in-one on the 17th hole. Lopez had 149 yards to navigate and used a pitching wedge that landed over the ridge and trickled into the hole.

Parker Coody defeated William Moll in the third match of the morning, 2&1. Coody, who is the Boys 15-18 Player of the Year this season, won four straight holes from No. 5 to No. 8, making two birdies and gaining a 4-up lead. Coody would close out the match with a par on the 17th hole.

Michael Anthony Rome won his match over Tucker Allen, giving the South a four-point lead. Rome won 2-up in his match and was the only player to secure six points for his team. Rome was one of eight rookies to compete on the South Team.

Connor Adams was the next match to finish, beating Vishnu Sadagopan to get two points for the North Team. Adams won holes No. 15 and 16 to go 2-up and then made birdie on No. 17 to seal the victory, drawing the score to 18-16. Lucas Borrero won his match over Dallas Hankamer, 2-up, winning back-to-back holes on No. 14 and No. 15.

Kennedy Pedigo won her match over Kaylee Vesely 3&2, while Turner Hosch defeated Garrett Martin 4&3. Both matches went to the North Team and drew the score even with four match results remaining.

Sadie Englemann made a birdie on No. 18 to win 1-up over Girls 12-18 Player of the Year Hailey Jones. Englemann made the turn 2-up but lost holes No. 14 and 16 to fall all square heading into 17. The Austin native made a par on No. 17 and then answered with a birdie putt on No. 18. The putt earned two crucial points for the South Team, which trailed in two of the remaining three matches.

Pierceson Coody won his match over McClure Meissner 2&1. Coody was 3-down in his match after the seventh hole, but battled back with birdies on No. 8, 9 and 11 to draw the match all square. Coody didn’t stop there, winning holes No. 12-14 to take a 3-up lead and held on to win with a birdie on No. 17.

Jun Min Lee defeated Texas Cup Invitational Champion Ryan Grider in his singles match, 4&2. Lee, who won the North Texas Classic earlier this year, won holes No. 14, 15 and 16, including back-to-back birdies on 14 and 15.

With the South Team leading 24-22, the final result of the day would decide whether the North would retain the cup or the South would win. Jake Kuwitzky was 4-down to Shuai Ming Wong after the eighth hole, but won holes nine through 11 with three straight birdies. Kuwitzky drew the match all square with a birdie on No. 13 and then took a 1-up lead with a par on the 420-yard 14th hole. A birdie on No. 16 gave the McKinney native a 2-up lead with two to play, but Wong won No. 17 with a par. Both players were greenside for their third shots and had looks at birdie with the crowd watching. Wong sank his birdie putt to put the pressure on Kuwitzky, but Jake stepped up and sank the putt, securing two points for the North and helping his team retain the cup.

“My hands were shaking and I just wanted to get the putter in the right position to make the putt,” said Kuwitzky after sinking the clinching putt.

The overall score finished 24-24, which is the second time the Jackie Burke Cup matches have finished tied, the first since 2007 at Whispering Pines Golf Club. Since the North won in 2015, they will retain the cup for a third straight year and will bring the overall record versus the South closer at 7-5.

Dennis Godoy and William Martinez were the captains of this year’s Jackie Burke Cup. Godoy and Martinez combined to play in seven Jackie Burke Cups in their junior careers. Both players enjoyed all their years of playing in Jackie Burke Cups, but captaining their teams in 2016 was just as special.

“I always enjoyed playing in the Jackie Burke Cup and I’ve told my dad the last few years that it would be cool to coach a team,” said Godoy. “It’s great to win the cup for the North and I’m very proud of my team for competing the whole way.”

Escondido Golf and Lake Club joins a prestigious list of host clubs for the Jackie Burke Club including Whispering Pines, Brook Hollow GC, Miramont CC, Champions GC and Spanish Oaks GC. The Legends Junior Tour would like to thank Escondido’s staff and membership for hosting the Jackie Burke Cup.